Their Daughter
by darthluna01
Summary: Sequel to Our Mother: While on Nar Shaddaa for a weapons deal, the gang is about to find one more figure from the past who may be able to help Leia deal with her heritage and upcoming marriage. Meanwhile, opposition awaits at different ends of the galaxy.
1. A New Set

Padme felt sincerely blessed on this particular morning. Though someone of a different temperament or circumstance may have felt quite tedious or exhausted, Padme was quite the opposite.

She had just recently, as of the previous week, discovered her long-lost children and her past memories. Not to mention that she had helped bring about the freedom of Naboo, thereby aiding the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

The future for the Skywalker family was looking bright, especially with a wedding on the way. Han Solo, General of the Rebel Alliance and Captain of the rather inconstant _Millenium Falcon, _had proposed to her daughter just two days ago. She had seen her husband and made peace with him during her coma, and she was looking forward to getting acquainted with Luke and Leia.

However, there were things that did darken Padme's optimism, though they were small in number.

While Leia was progressing well in the Alliance and in love, she was having a harder time with accepting her heritage. Padme understood, rather similarly, how Leia felt. She had taken her own opportunity to rant at Anakin. Yet she had forgiven him wholeheartedly once he had confessed the nature of his fate.

She only wished the same could be done with Leia. At the same time, she knew she shouldn't press the matter. It was the first of her maternal troubles.

The issue second to this was leaving Naboo, and in turn, her family, again. She knew that she had stayed for over a decade, but still regretted having to leave her sister behind again. Nonetheless, she knew that the Naberries would be in good care, with Ryoo now living closer, and Pooja taking control in the democratic movement.

As for the last of Padme's worries was the next mission. Last night, Leia had grouped them together in order to make a rough plan. It appeared that the coordinates Mon Mothma had given them were to Nar Shadaa or Nal Hutta, the infamous Smuggler's Moon. Coincidentally, it was also ruled, hence the name, by Hutts. Han himself fidgeted through their little conference because he and Chewbacca had previously worked there under Jabba.

There was something unsettling about the Hutt business, but orders were orders.

But the first thing that Padme had thought of that morning as she awoke was of the golden sunshine that cascaded across the twin beds in her old room. Leia was sleeping soundly in the other, her new engagement ring glittering as it made contact with the sunlight.

Padme slipped quietly from under the covers, and selected a dressing robe from the closet.

"Leia," she said, sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed. Padme caressed the side of Leia's face gently. The skin was similar to her own - soft and smooth, yet still resilient.

Brown eyes blinked open and closed as Leia woke with a yawn, which she covered with her hand.

"M-m-mother? Good morning."

"Good morning, Leia."

While not a morning person, Leia had been trained to be prompt during the early hours. Thus, she climbed out of bed with ease and followed her mother's example by putting a robe on. The heavenly smells of a freshly cooked breakfast entered the room, which mother and daughter responded to hungrily.

"Good morning! Did you all have a nice sleep?" Sola asked as Luke, Han, and Chewie shuffled into the kitchen.

She was mostly answered by half-asleep grunts. It seemed that she was used to this, and kept speaking cheerily, "There's plenty of food, so don't feel obligated to follow any polite misconceptions. In other words, I urge you to eat because you all need proper nourishment for travel."

* * *

"Farewell, Aunt Sola. You'll get an invitation, but don't expect it to come too soon." Leia hugged her aunt goodbye. Having lived at the Naberrie house for almost a month, she actually had begun to feel as if she was with family.

"Goodbye, sweetie. Be safe, and hold to your man."

The Princess smiled as Sola gave her a kiss on the cheek and patted her away. Luke kissed Sola his own goodbye, and warned her to be careful. The only remaining visitor in the house was Padme. They stood looking at each other for a few moments until they embraced tightly.

"I'll miss you the most, you know that, right?"

"I'll see you again soon, sister. Don't let Pooja work too hard."

"Never."

Padme left her old home laughing as she followed the rest into the family speeder. Han volunteered himself to drive, something which she found that she regretted later. His speed reminded her of Anakin's piloting, and she suspected that being inside his ship would be no better.

The _Falcon _was still in as perfect as could be condition next to the Gungan swamps.

"Hallo dere! Yousa leavin' already?"

Before she could prepare herself, Jar Jar crushed her in a hug, his Gungan arms wrapping around her tightly.

"Padme, I'sa gonna miss yousa! Yousen watchen to be careful-o."

"Thank you, Jar Jar," she was trying to detach herself. He let go and blew his nose loudly on a frilled handkerchief.

As they boarded the ramp, Jar Jar, along with his son, waved kindly. Padme was waving back. Even though the Gungan could be rather clumsy and annoying, he had it where it counted.

The ramp closed back up and Padme shoved her bags into a small room with a bunk, ignoring the strange smell in the cabin and the occasional brown hairs she suspected were Wookiee. She found Leia, Han, and Chewbacca in the cockpit.

"Strap in quick, 'cause we're ready to ride."

She obeyed, and sat behind Chewbacca, who was fiddling with some of the controls on the ceiling.

"Ready everybody? Good." Han didn't exactly wait for an answer before barking, "Hit it Chewie!"

The freighter shook as the engines ignited, and Padme thought her breakfast might be making a reappearance. Her hands gripped tightly on the bottom of the seat as the humming sound got louder and the feeling of solid ground was lost.

"Is it always this. . . turbulent?"

"Yes, when it's working," replied Leia.

The _Millenium Falcon _broke out of the atmosphere, and the only thing visible through the viewport was the bleak darkness of empty space. A _zoom _sound filled the ship when Han activated the hyperdrive.

A few seconds passed, and nothing happened.

"What's going on? I thought you fixed it."

Han's fist hit the dashboard. At first, she had thought it had been out of frustration, but as soon as his hand came down on the surface, the stars streaked into lines and they were off. She almost smiled at the temperamental _Falcon. _

Instead, Padme left the cockpit to see what Luke was doing. Nar Shadaa was just a couple hours away.

* * *

Millions of parsecs away, on the other side of the galaxy, floated Grand Admiral Thrawn's ship, the _Chimaera. _A private was informing him of a recent loss to his force. Siol had been killed.

"But he still had enough time to send us the formula."

"Very well," he said.

"Yes sir." The man walked out of the room leaving Thrawn to his thoughts. The Chiss had his fingers enjoined contemplatively, his glowing red eyes stared out into space, and he had a slight smile on his face.

The death of the scientist was of no consequence. A useless loss, yes, but not crucial to their operation. As long as the Empire stayed in control of half the systems in the galaxy, they were still dominant over the fledging Rebellion. Surely, by the time his plan had been executed, the Rebels would even get that far.

As he always believed, the easiest way to understand a culture was through their art. It had proved time and again to be true. The Rebellion was no exception. They were made up of multiple cultures, all bound by the same beliefs; shatter those beliefs, and the Rebellion would be no more. And how better to do it than frame the biggest believer of them all. . .


	2. The Double Mark

Once the _Falcon _was on a steady course, it was safe for the passengers to move about. Padme decided to unstrap herself and see what her son was doing in the lounger room, or wherever he was. Her daughter and her soon-to-be son-in-law were well occupied in lovers' banter and ship problems, which she felt she did not have much of a part in.

"Mother," Luke greeted, biting his lip as he tried screwing a bolt off a metal box.

It turned out that Luke was in the back, working on some machine. He reminded her so much of Anakin in that way. That somewhat regretfully reminded her of the many things that she and her children needed to discuss - to compensate for almost twenty-four years of separation. At the same time, Padme knew that couldn't be done unless Leia opened up to her paternal heritage. Padme also knew that no such thing could really be done without her having a hand in it, to help her daughter realize how twisted the Dark Side could turn people.

"What have you got there?" She leaned against the curved walls, storing her more complex issues into the back of her mind.

Finally successful in releasing the infernal thing, Luke replied, "Just another minor repair Han is probably never going to get around to. It's some piece of junk he picked up on a spice run, but it was broken before he figured out how to use it. It doesn't feel to heavy. . ." The Jedi shook it lightly.

The sounds of internal shuffling piqued Padme's interest, and she leaned in a bit closer, as if looking for clues on how to open the mysterious little box.

"Hm. I sense something. Wait, here's another bolt." The next was less rusty than the previous one had been, screwing off easily. The lid fell off the box with a clunk, revealing a smaller transparent hexagonal box.

"What is it? I sense something inside it, but I can't quite place it," Luke said, holding it up in his palm. The box looked as if composed of colored or engraved glass, and since it was mostly clear, a small amalgamation of metal was visible at the center.

It took Padme a couple of minutes to answer as she observed the delicate crystalline object - she was truly stunned that the item had lasted so long.

"It. . . it's a--a Jedi holocron, I think."

Seeing her son's look of confusion, she explained, "It's like a sort of holovid. But different. Jedi used to record themselves onto it, telling different information. Every Jedi eventually was given one to store themselves on. You see, they were interactive once you recorded yourself. I've only ever seen one once in my life. Most of the others, I believe, were destroyed along with the Jedi Temple.

"This must be so old. And valuable. I wonder if you can open it."

He seemed to be thinking along the same lines; he was staring intently at the little box, his eyes seeming to graze over every bit of surface he could find. As he closed his eyes, the holocron slowly opened like a blossoming flower.

They were greeted by the miniature of. . . it couldn't be. . .

_"Hi, I'm Ahsoka Tano, a Jedi, um, of the Republic. How may I help you?"_

"It's amazing," Luke said under his breath, not even aware of the significance of who was talking.

She was so astonished, Padme felt as though her breath had been sucked from her lungs. The holocron-Ahsoka was turning from side to side, smiling a little, just as Padme remembered. Gazing at the Padawan's fifteen year old figure, questions began popping into her head.

_Is Ahsoka still alive? Did she escape the Purges and her old Master? Did she abandon the Jedi principles and start a family? If she's even alive, where could she be? How had she gotten the holocron? Where had she left it that Han could have found it on a spice run?_

Despite these many questions, Padme had only one to say aloud: "I am Padme, do you remember me?"

_"Of course, Senator Amidala. But you're supposed to be dead! That is what I had been informed."_

"Well, that-that's wrong! I'm in perfect health," she spluttered.

_"I can see that. So is this a Jedi-in-training, or have you just happened upon me?" _The same spunk the Togrutan girl had exhibited as a teenager was still present, even in her hologram.

But the holocron-Ahsoka seemed to have some problems. Her little figure was spotty and fazing out slowly. As the voice recording tried to function, the pitch became distorted from a deep rumble to a high-pitched squeal. A strange whirring sound emitted from the inside of the glass container, and before mother or son could react quickly enough, the thing blew.

Shards of the unique casing flew in all directions; Padme reflexively shielded her face with her arms. The sound of shattering and combustion reached her ears, and she recognized it as the inner workings of the holocron blowing to bits.

When the commotion had finally ended, her arms fell limply to her sides and she stared at the smoking heap of debris left behind.

"What _happened?_"Leia was standing over them, squinting. "I heard the noise," she said, "and I also came to tell you to buckle in and get ready for Nar Shadaa atmosphere."

* * *

Fortunately for them, the _Falcon _had behaved throughout the whole landing. Han had parked it securely in a shady spot on the sketchy outskirts of one of the central cities. Neither Luke nor Padme had had the chance to tell Leia of what they had seen, and by the time the five of them were walking out on the pavement, breathing in the polluted air of a nearby cantina. Artoo and Threepio were once again left to "guard the ship."

"So where's our contact?" Han folded his arms behind his head in a leisurely manner.

Looking around with a hand over her eyes, Leia hummed, "_The Double Mark."_

"Do you trust him?" returned the Corellian, reminding them all of Jaren Siol. Han didn't want the same thing happening again. Everyone got his meaning.

"For the most part. We'll keep our eyes open, all right?" She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, then pulled her hair into a hasty bun, covering it with the hood of her shawl.

_The Double Mark, _if anything, was certainly worse than Chulman's Cantina. The small establishment was a filthy mess: broken bits of furniture were scattered on the dusty floor, stains of various revolting colors stuck to the surfaces of the tables, and many of the occupants were far from concerned about remaining inconspicuous. Instead of sentient beings, the owner had seen fit to employ cheap, run-down service droids who looked like they hadn't had a cleaning since the Clone Wars.

So, it was at the dirty entrance of _The Double Mark _where they were greeted by a battered old droid with a broken arm and chipped facing. It unceremoniously pointed them to an available seat at the bar. They complied warily, noting the strange furry green spots that dotted the edges of the stools.

"Alderaan beer," Han ordered the droid bartender. His companions were queasy to touch anything in this place, much less drink. But they would need to order as well, in order to lay low.

"Uh, the same." Luke and Leia pulled a few credits from from their pockets.

Padme considered the fact that she hadn't drank alcohol in two and a half decades. She also reminded herself that this probably wasn't the kind of service industry that carried nice wine.

"Jawa Juice." Chewie decided to order the same, even though he was reluctant to even smell the contents of the glass.

The five of them sipped the scuzzy drinks slowly and quietly, hoping that they would find their contact before they reached the last of the beverage. It was then that Padme, through the corner of her eye, saw two Rodians enter. Followed closely behind by two weedy Trandoshans, Padme was sure it was probably the worst-hidden back up she'd ever seen. Nonetheless, they settled into seats at the bar just before Leia murmured the giveaway,

"_Jeeska do sookee koopa moe nanya."*_

To her right, she saw Luke having trouble with keeping a straight face. As a politician and wife to a native of Tatooine, Padme understood it perfectly.

In strangled Basic, the taller of the two specimens replied, "Out back, down bend, hmm?"

Leia nodded her assent as the Rodians got up to leave, tossing a few credit chips onto the counter. Within another ten minutes, the group of five proceeded out the ramshackle cantina and down an alley from behind it. They turned left onto a dead end, met by their same Rodian "friends," the couple of Trandoshans, and a human male.

The new arrival was bearded, middle-aged, and somewhat grizzled. Salt and pepper eyebrows drooped low over black beady eyes, preceded by a forehead that shined and was shaped like an egg. Padme thought he resembled Cliegg Lars, with an overbearingly mercenary expression.

With usual politician's finesse, the Princess of Alderaan held out her hand for a quick shake, and then adopted an authoritative tone.

"I'm sure you know why I am here."

Rubbing the side of his face lazily, he returned, "Larrad Bes. And yeah, I know why yer all here, but yeh ain't gonna get it."

She wasn't discouraged by that. She'd heard the same plenty of times before. "I'm certain that with a little more time, we might work out an agreement that wil be mutually beneficial. I would like to make you aware of the fact that the Alliance is not without funds to pay you, sir. In addition, we have moral standards enough that you needn't be suspicious of our honesty."

Bes' mouth upturned in what the Alderaanian assumed to be a smile, as he revealed crooked, yellowing teeth. "That's a lottta big words, miss. But t'ain't my problem. Summat different. I could git in some hefty trouble fer helpin' yer 'specially."

"I assure you that we have measures to prevent the Empire--"

"Eh, 'snot tha'. I tell yeh what," he rubbed his face again, pondering for several seconds before continuing. Clearing his throat, Bes grumbled, "Gimme tomorrow ter sort it out, eh? I'm takin' a risk, see here, miss. The Hutts ain't too happy 'bout nows."

A tense moment passed between the Rebels as they wondered whether they could really trust this weapons dealer. On one hand, they would be risking their anonymity if they decided to let him go for a day. On the other, the Alliance was in dire need of weapons, much of their supply drained in the effort against the second Death Star.

Personally, Leia sensed that Bes was an honest businessman, if a bit of a coward. He knew that he had security from the Empire as long as he stayed with the Hutts, but if he angered any of the Hutt clan, that was an entirely different matter.

_Do you sense anything? _she sent to Luke.

_Nothing too suspicious. I think we can trust him for now. But I've got the feeling--_

_Bad?_

_--that we should leave here as soon as we can. There's something here, I can't tell whether it's good or bad, but I don't feel like we should try to find out, with all of the other things we've got on our agendas._

"Alright. Tomorrow, in the evening. Where's the meeting point?"

Bes extracted a piece of flimsi from his pocket, scribbled something on it with a stylus, and then handed it to her. It was an address.

"Password is 'sebulba.' 1900 sharp?"

"Agreed."

The arms dealer found her monosyllabic reply a queue to leave, which he did, his cronies following closely behind. They were watched by their clients until they had disappeared out the back of the alley.

**A/N: I was on a one-shot roll, and then had writer's block, hence the lateness. But now that the chapter is up, please review! Also, the title has been changed from "Her Daughter" to "Their Daughter." It's more appropriate.**

***Meaning, "Keep your suction cups where I can see them."**


	3. Past, Present, and Future Musings

**A/N: Finally! I got some inspiration, and now I'm going to try and update regularly. 'Sorry about the wait, but please review!**

**

* * *

**

"That was strange."

Padme and the rest had left right after their company had gone. In search of a quick meal, they had settled for another local spot, but chose with more discrimination towards the hygiene of the establishment. Though her head spun with puzzlement, Padme opted to save her questions for a later time inside the _Falcon, _where there was the slimmest chance of being overheard.

Staring idly across the table, the cold condensing glass of water in her hand, she recognized the lines of worry that had wormed their way onto her daughter's forehead. She recognized them as her own, almost. There was something even more pensive about them that tended to remind her of Anakin.

"What is it, Mother?" She had been staring too long.

"Oh," she said, " I was wondering there for a moment. You reminded me of myself just now, looking the way you did."

Leia's lips curved upward slightly. "Really." A pause, and then: "You were in the Old Republic Senate, weren't you Mother?"

"Yes. Yes, I was. It makes me think about what I'm going to be doing in another few years after this war is finally over. I'm sure I won't be able to go back into politics - I don't think Mon Mothma would be crazy enough to let me back in. And even if she did, I've been out of the loop so long I'd be a relic compared to you."

Han left to join Luke and Chewie at another table, bored with the conversation. The restaurant was playing a shockball tournament on the HoloNet that proved much more interesting than the occupational worries of a former Senator.

"No, you wouldn't. Politics have never, and will never change. They've stayed the same since. . . well, since the dawn of community and government. So there's nothing to catch up on, as far as that's concerned. No, the hard part is going to be re-organizing the government. You'd be really helpful there, seeing that you and Mon Mothma are the only ones who were really in the thick of the action back then. And as for Mon not letting you back in, you don't have to worry. She'd be crazy to keep someone as valuable as you out."

It was Padme's turn to smile. "I'll be grateful if you're right. But how soon will we actually be able to start all of this hypothetical work?"

"Well, hopefully within the next month. Whether or not we can defeat the Imperial's over Coruscant is crucial. The rest of the High Council is sure that by securing the Imperial Palace, we'll be able to gain the support of a good chunk, at least three-fifths, of the galaxy. And that says something in itself. We've already gained a substantial amount of support from many smaller systems, as well as several centers of business, agriculture, and natural resources.

So if we can pull a clean attack, we're sure to - no, we've _got to _- make this our big break. The biggest yet."

* * *

The sun was beginning to fall over the horizon of Nar Shadaa, and the group of Rebels had decided to disappear with it. Having a late night out on a planet like this meant taking your life in your hands.

Once they were all back on the _Falcon, _Han checked the computer and Artoo for any transmissions the Base may have sent over. It turned out that nothing had come, and they were in the clear to continue with their operation at present speed. Padme felt it safer to ask more specific questions at this point, as her younger companions were beginning to dress themselves for the night.

She would bunk in with Leia while Luke had a small compartment to himself; Han and his Wookiee co-pilot would have the main quarters to themselves, as usual. Padme extracted a nightgown from her travel bags, asking, "I'm wondering about something else now. Bes said that he wouldn't want to upset the Hutts. As far as I know, the Hutts wouldn't care one iota about what the Rebellion did as long as it didn't affect their trade. So why would our business transactions trouble them?"

Her daughter fumbled around for sometimes without any reply. Eventually, Leia took a short trip to the bathroom, coming back abruptly after having left.

"Because of something that we, Luke and I did. Well, I suppose Han and Chewie did have a lot to do with it too. Mother, I killed Jabba the Hutt. But you've got to understand that I did it to save Han. You see, Han had been in carbon freeze as bounty for Boba Fett. He was sold to Jabba on Tatooine. Luke, Chewie, and one of Han's friends - the very one that had tricked him into carbon freeze, actually - and I, searched for months to find him."

Padme figured that she should have known it would be something as drastic as a daring rescue from an villainous criminal. She felt a pang of sympathy for her soon-to-be son-in-law. She had heard of carbon freeze on inanimate objects for shipping, but to put a human under such conditions would surely be fatal.

"Ah, I see. But this friend of Han's, why did he trick Han in the first place? Carbon freeze, of all things. I've never heard of it done before."

Leia seemed to fidget a bit more. Just as she had before when the initial subject was brought up. In the back of her mind Padme had the sneaking suspicion that Anakin was somehow tied into the mess. She was right.

"Vader." The former Princess paused, her eyes shutting tightly, only to open again with a strange ferocity. "I know you won't want to hear it, but it was Vader. He lured us all into this sick trap, forcing Lando to turn us in and then torturing us. He tortured Han for hours to make me give up information. I don't know how, but I managed to stay quiet. But the real reason behind it all was to find Luke.

"And of course, Luke being Luke, came to our rescue." As the darkness in Leia's tone increased, Padme could almost predict what she was about to say next. Her stomach coiled as if getting ready for the blow.

"It was his right hand, wasn't it?" she asked, before she had to be told.

"Yes. Some twisted idea to turn him to the Dark Side. Vader was a liar and a murderer; I'm not sure who the man you knew was, but I'd say that he didn't exist. Luke has been trying to persuade me that he was good on the inside, but I won't believe that. Vader didn't have the ability to be good. He destroyed my home, the entire planet with all of those people - men, women, and children. He didn't discriminate the type of murder, because his victims didn't matter to him. He knew no remorse.

"I don't care what Luke says either. One life saved cannot atone for millions slain. I'm sorry, Mother, but I need to make that clear."

Meeting the eyes of her daughter, Padme saw the fierce determination that was a mix from both her parents. Seeing herself reflected in the brown depths, Padme also recognized the fire that was hers inside her daughter. Yet still there was an overtone of what she could not identify. It fluctuated depending on the mood. Sometimes, it was sorrowful; at other times, it was flashes of anger. And then, even more sporadically, flickers of happiness.

The similarity of the emotion displayed in Leia's eyes was most obviously from Anakin, however much she would not like to admit.

And how ironic it was that Padme saw pure hate, combined with sorrow and regret and guiltiness, shining in her daughter's eyes. It was the same things that she had seen in her husband's eyes at their last physical meeting on Mustafar. The parallel struck her hard.

Leia had successfully finished their conversation, walking back the few short steps to her bunk and laying down, eyes closed. Padme could tell that she was feigning sleep, but decided that for now, it was for the best. The memories were receding into the back of her mind as she turned the light off and lay flat inside the darkness.


	4. Lucky As Always

It was obvious that something had occurred between Leia and Padmé last night that brought a great amount of silence and stiff politeness to their behavior. Leia had barely spoken all day, and whenever Han had attempted to soften her enough to consult him, she left for another room and engaged in inquiry of some tedious detail that would make a difference in the near future.

Thus, the mood between the five of them was awkward as they approached the meeting place. The three Skywalkers were having communication troubles, and even Han and Chewie felt affected by this internal quarrel. Their new destination was somewhere at the edge of the main city; slightly higher up than their previous sampling of establishments. It looked to be a sort of club for criminals, a posh version of Chulman's Cantina, in other words.

When they reached the door, Leia supplied the guard the password. They filed in, eyes flickering around the room cautiously. Another two hours, and their business here would have to be over, whether they got the supplies, or not.

Time waned as more and more of the pub's customers left, seemingly in a hurry. Eventually, about ten minutes to the hour, the five Rebels and bartender were the only ones left in the entire room. Minutes before the chrono turned, the two Rodians pulled up and entered, alone. As soon as the bartender set eyes on them, he ducked out of the room and left like the 501st was on his tail.

This apparent fact caused the Rebels' caution levels to go up considerably, along with their eyebrows.

"Where is Mr. Bes?"

Without reply, the Rodians glanced off in another direction. Han's danger sense kicking in, his hand was to his blaster just as the first shot came their way. The trouble was, he couldn't see the shooter anywhere. Searching frantically, he saw a flicker of movement and began shooting. At the corner of his peripheral vision, he saw Luke pulling out his lightsaber to deflect more bolts and Leia next to him, her blaster firing off at marksman speed.

Chewie howled furiously against the din of blaster fire. They had been set up! And after all the precautions they had taken - the High Command, everything.

Dirt rose from the ground as their assailants rained down on them in a brilliant ambush. Whipping around, Han managed to defeat a couple of the helmeted humanoids before his weapon was jolted out of his hand - he ground his teeth in pain, feeling a searing heat shoot up his arm. The sensation spread through his nervous system, and soon things began to fade. A green burst of light later, and he was unconscious.

* * *

At the moment, Han Solo had no idea who or where he was. All he knew was the throbbing in his joints and the sore ache of his muscles. As he blinked awake, he could vaguely sense the extra weight around his arm and leg. Groaning with eyes shut tightly against the pain in his legs, Han felt things coming back to him.

It had all started when they had gone to meet Larrad Bes for the second time. They had waited in tense boredom until the arrival of Bes' Rodian employees, whom had tricked them into a trap. Ambushed by a number of creatures who were probably bounty hunters, the last thing Han remembered was Luke's lightsaber flying through the air, deactivated. He wondered how long he had been out, and what had happened to the others. He was almost absolutely sure that he was in one of Rotta the Hutt's dungeons. The reek of burnt flesh and body odor permeated his small cell, while numerous stains soiled the stone ground.

"Anybody there?" He called out, hoping his companions might be near. The dim light of the compound made it hard to see past the cell's bars. He could barely discern another cell some four meters across his own. The prisoner inside was motionless and looked to be asleep.

"Shaddup!" Several sentients called out simultaneously, including the being across the floor, a Weequayan.

Quickly realizing that the next best thing to do would be to form a plan of escape, Han assessed his condition briefly. Nothing was broken, and other than some bruises and aches, he was all right. The more important thing to worry about were binders around his wrists connected by chains to the duracrete wall behind him. When he pulled, he could tell from the feel that they were inlaid deep into the wall and would not be easy to get out.

Just as he was estimating the required amount of space to slip his hands through the rusty metal ovals, a dour Trandoshan guard appeared next to the bars at the entrance of Han's cell. He inserted something into the lock and told Han gruffly, "His Majesty requests you now."

The Corellian was quick to reply, "Great. Ain't nothin' better to do around this place anyway."

The guard ignored him, roughly shoving him aside to disconnect the chains from the binders. With his wrists tied painfully behind his back, Han was led forward by the Trandoshan, a vibroaxe centimeters from his back. After a couple of staircases and long halls, Han found himself in a throneroom similar to that of Jabba the Hutt's.

Han was forced to push his way through the crowd of bounty hunters, dancers, and various other denizens. He wasn't entirely surprised when he saw Padme and Leia already being brought to the front; Luke followed shortly as Han remarked, "I see we're doin' as good as usual."

Mother and daughter both gave him stern looks that indicated they weren't in the mood for his antics. The four humans turned their attention forward as a Rotta, somewhat smaller than his father, came forward and began to speak in his native language, which they fully understood. Nonetheless, a protocol droid translated for them in Basic.

"The mighty Rotta the Hutt has commanded your immediate execution as punishment for your cold-blooded murder of his late father, the magnificent Jabba Desilijic Tiure. Thus you shall be taken and unbound to His Exaltedness' Grand Arena, met by the new acquisition, a biologically re-engineered Acklay. There it will feed on you with its eight claws, three pincers, and razor-sharp teeth. Your demise shall occur as soon as an audience is set forth to witness your pitiful demise."

"Wouldn't wanna go without a crowd, would I?" Han said, dripping with sarcasm. Noting that his Wookiee co-pilot was not present at this little gathering, the Corellian demanded, "Where's Chewie? What've ya done with him?"

Rotta smiled maliciously - or at least, whatever the Hutt equivalent of a smile could be called. *Your overgrown pet? I'm afraid he became so violent we had to put him down. But don't fret; after he wakes up you will die together as conspirators against the Hutt clan. Take them away!*

Scowling, Han fought angrily against the hold of the Trandoshan trying to force him back to his cell. All of this came down to that traitor who sold them out and now, unless Luke came up with some amazingly laser-brained plan, it looked like they were going to end up as puree in some lizard's ugly mug, with the possibility that Chewbacca could really be on his way to a slave drive or the Kessel Mines. Han's boot collided sharply with the Trandoshan's foot as the former smuggler continued to resist captivity.

"Quit it Solo, or you'll go to the arena without an arm," the guard hissed.

Leia, who was being drawn in the opposite direction, gave him a significant look. She had something up her sleeve. She and Luke would figure it out. Han stopped writhing - he would trust the brother and sister team. He only hoped that their extraordinary luck would be enough to get them out of the mess this time.


	5. The Arena

"What are we going to do?" Her voice echoed into the empty chamber, making it feel larger than it should have.

"I'm not sure. I'm wondering whether I could possibly use the Force to. . ." her brother's voice trailed off uncertainly. Luke had already managed to release his own binders with the Force. However, without the aid of a lightsaber, there wasn't much else he was able to do to escape.

"Do you really think you might be able to manipulate the lock?"

A few moments later, Luke replied, "It's always worth a try." Just then he remembered Yoda's comments about trying, and added, "Or rather, I'll do my best."

Squinting across the aisle, Leia saw Luke fiddling with the lock on the door. His shadowed face revealed obvious concentration, and his hand was hovering an inch or so above the lock. After what felt like hours, but was probably only five minutes, Leia heard a click and released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Yes," Luke muttered triumphantly under his breath. Pushing open the door happily, he came across to his sister's cell and began on the mechanism once more. In less time than before, he had released the catch and the heavy bars swung open. Next, he removed the binders from Leia's wrists and they were on their way.

Rotta, they figured, must have been extremely new at keeping prisoners. They didn't pass a single guard throughout the entire dungeon - that is, until they reached the door. Two of them, Gamorreans, were grunting to each other from across either side of the tall arced entrance. Brother and sister hung behind in the shadow, counting the seconds before they could creep up and take the guards unawares.

_Three. . . two. . ._

Pulling her arm back, Leia inflicted a fierce blow to the base of the left guard's skull. He went down immediately as his companion cried out. Luke pacified him with a simple wave of the hand. Drowsiness overcame the other's eyelids and he fell to the ground easily, his mouth agape with a small trail of drool. They proceeded to drag the two unconscious Gamorreans into a dark corner so that they wouldn't attract attention for a while.

"I wish we knew which way was which. I don't want to go down a passage and end up back in the throne room."

"Don't worry; let's just concentrate on finding the others. They've got to be in another block."

They had been tiptoeing their way around for a half an hour, narrowly avoiding the other guests inside Rotta's abode. After dodging a collision with a burly group of Devaronians, they ducked into another corridor and began running. Luke could sense his mother's presence getting nearer, as did Han's.

"Can you feel it?"

"Faintly. I'm not as adept at these Force abilities as you are."

"You'll learn with time. And they'll be handy at more things than being a Jedi, if used correctly."

Leia bit back a retort. She didn't want to get into this subject right now. Luckily, she was saved the inconvenience of responding when they came to a fork. Sensing their fellow Rebels, they headed right. The twins began to run as they were meters away from their destination. All of a sudden, Leia's insides froze.

"What's the rush? Couldn't wait to see your friends?" The Trandoshan jabbed his blaster into her back, shoving the princess forward. "You'll have a nice little last reunion, we'll make sure."

Padmé couldn't really tell which was worse - the feeling of déja vu, or the feeling that she was in for either a narrow escape or certain death. She decided that no matter what, the feeling of being close to an acklay - one with eight claws, no less - would definitely be worse. Of course, Obi-Wan had been the one to face it, but the terrible screeching of the creature had served to increase Padmé's emotions and blood pressure at the time.

But unlike her first arena experience, aside from the obvious, there was no cheering or applause as the wagon carried five of them out. They were met by deadly silence and a fearful crowd. Rotta the Hutt, who was at the front, waited for his prisoners to be in place at the center of the arena before he signaled to another of his employees.

The former Queen inhaled slowly, her chin rising in defiance. They weren't even being allowed last words. But then again, she remembered, Dooku had also denied them the dignity of any last words as well.

Despite her resolutions to be strong, Padmé couldn't help but cringe when the dreaded spider-like monster ambled out from its cage. It was worse than the old one, hoarser and somehow harsher on her ear drums. Luke, Leia, and Han winced while Chewbacca, sensitive to sounds, wailed in pain.

Finally, the audience gained enthusiasm, clapping and cheering. The beast had seen them, five delicious pieces of meat, and stalked toward its prey eagerly, shaking the ground in its wake. For Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Padmé, there was nothing left to do but run. Luke dashed underneath the giant creature's belly and attempted to use the Force to lull it to sleep, as he had done with the Gamorrean guard.

However, the Gamorrean hadn't had eight sharp claws and an extremely ear-shattering scream. Luke bowled back as he lost his concentration, unable to handle the horrendous noise. Covering his ears, he landed flat on the ground, his face contorted in agony. A green-blue claw descended towards his torso --

--and hit solid dirt. The Jedi Knight had rolled away just in time to avoid being skewered. His friends breathed with relief, but when the acklay directed its attention elsewhere, fled in different directions. It certainly confused the arachnid, but it quickly decided on Leia, who was the slowest runner out of the four available meals.

"Leia! Watch out!" Han bellowed. The acklay was mere meters behind her, about to close up the distance quickly when she turned tail and got underneath it, similar to the way her brother had.

The Alderaanian was almost dancing below its massive body. As its claws moved, she followed, her eyes on its underbelly to make sure that she stayed within range of its weakness. Leia winced again as the acklay wailed, likely in frustration at losing another piece of food. Another of its claws pounded into the ground, this time so hard that dirt sprayed all different directions. Leia cried out as some of the dust went in her eyes, blinding her.

Laughter arose from the crowd as they watched the princess struggle. She was stumbling, unable to see or detect the movement the creature was above.

_"NO!" _She heard several voices at once; then, she was pushed hard across the ground and into a solid wall.

"Hey, sweetheart. Can you open your eyes?" It was Han.

Leia tried to lift her eyelids - and shut them quickly again. Her eyes stung with the uncleanliness of the dirt, and there was too much grit for her to see, even if she did manage to open her eyes.

"Just-just wait. I think I can do it in. . . in a moment." Rubbing at her eyes gently, she felt some of the offending matter coming out.

Padmé tried to remember exactly how they had defeated the acklay before. Her hope deflated when she remembered that it had been slain by Obi-Wan's lightsaber. There had to be another way.

Hard-pressed for time, and admittedly scared to death that this would actually be the last of them, Padmé hurled her boot at the creature. The acklay screeched and turned its head, pincers coming together menacingly.

The Nubian woman ran, vaguely hearing the warning shouts of her children. She had a rough plan. She was running back to the tunnel the beast had emerged from. With its one-track mind, the acklay stomped right into her trap. She was cornered.

Fortunately, the tunnel was long. Padmé's logic was thus: there must be a switch or device that enabled the cage bars to move up and down in order to keep its inhabitants imprisoned or vice versa. She needed to find it quickly, and in the dark.

The fierce mutant shrieked victoriously, bucking up two of its enormous claws. Padmé struggled to dodge the lethal claws as they came raining down upon her, one after another. Her eyes flew from wall to wall desperately - Where was the switch?

It was evident that this route of action was a bad detour. She had to get out of here, back into the open. Covering her head in her arms, Padmé dashed in between green-blue legs and tried to ignore any other thoughts than, _I have got to get out!_

A moment before it happened, she screamed.


	6. Guest Appearances

"What the hell?" Han shouted. Leia, Luke, and Chewbacca could almost say the same thing, but they were totally preoccupied with the scene happening before their eyes.

Like the ripples of a mirage over sand, a mysterious robed figure equipped with a lightsaber was moving so fast that the neither Han nor Leia could really tell how anyone was actually operating the weapon at all. The bright green blade slashed in every single direction possible, reducing the previously ferocious arachnid creature to a heap of flesh, scales, and bones. Due to the cauterizing power of the sizzling hot saber, blood spatter was minimal if at all present. Somehow, that seemed to make the death of the acklay comically, or ironically, gruesome. The bits of the beast that remained made it as if the wielder of the lightsaber was preparing seafood.

Watching incredulously, the entire audience was in uproar.

The hooded rescuer, now finished with their handiwork, settled on the ground neatly with two firmly planted feet. Dashing into the tunnel-cave, their savior slowly walked Padmé out and, as it appeared, embraced her. Moments later, the shouts and jeers of the crowd were silenced by Rotta's numerous guards and bounty hunters. Rotta's anger was palpable, even to those who didn't use the Force.

Not even bothering to use his translator droid, Rotta demanded, [Who dares to enter my arena, unwelcome, and slaughter _my _property? _Show yourself!]_

With gusto, the humanoid being tore off its cloak to reveal a most shocking face that few people recognized. Yet there were three who knew the features well, including Rotta. The Hutt, taken aback, sputtered, [What is this? Some foolish joke to trick me into allowing these low-lives escape? You are an impostor!]

Leaving the brown cloak discarded, the figure stepped forward to face their accuser directly. "No, Your Greatness. My death was a mere rumor, supported only by the mass extinction of my kind twenty-some years ago. But that rumor will now be proved false - my name is Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Knight. I have come here to beg mercy for these people who, although they have committed an act against Your Majesty, do not deserve punishment."

[_I _will decide who and where punishment is due! You won't bargain with me so easily. How can you lie in their defense when they have murdered my father in cold blood?]

The Togrutan woman did not flinch at the Hutt's furious tone. On the contrary, she seemed to gain confidence from his rebuttal. "There was once a time in Your Majesty's young life when you were in dire need of rescue. At the time, the existing Jedi Order specifically assigned two Jedi to track you down and bring you home safely. One of those Jedi had a Padawan, and while he does not remain living, you owe a life-debt to his Padawan. Do you recall this, Your Highness?"

Somewhat tempered down, Rotta replied, [Of course I do. Yet I do not see how that is relevant to--]

"It is relevant in every way possible," Ahsoka interrupted. "Because _I _am that Padawan and I nursed you back to health on the journey from Teth to Tatooine. One of your victims today is, in fact, the son of the Jedi Anakin Skywalker. When they took your father's life, it was out of necessity and self-protection!"

[My father was strangled to death by that woman,] Rotta retorted angrily, pointing at Leia as he said it. [His death was a useless gesture, not a necessity!]

"Princess Leia was held a captive slave by your father. In order to gain liberation that was the only pathway she had. Your father had offenses against them as well. It wasn't planned and you know that! With all due respect Your Majesty, you're only trying to live up to the expectations of the Hutt clan. May I ask, what has the Hutt clan ever done for you? They're disrespectful of your title and your power, and they have always been that way. In fact, your own grand-uncle made an attempt on your life. What is to be gained from terminating these peoples' lives, Your Highness?"

A pregnant silence filled the air. No one in the audience dared to speak, and none of the "entertainment" knew how to say anything at the moment. Ahsoka Tano kept her ground, staring straight into the eyes of her opponent. Her confidence was apparent and even off-putting. However, by the time that she had revealed her identity, she had already known the course of events that would ensue from her arrival.

Finally, Rotta spoke in a loud, booming voice. [I concur and agree with your argument. These prisoners are free of my charge on one condition.]

"Which is what, Your Excellency?"

[That I never see them in person again.]

"Agreed."

The arena boomed once again with the sounds of the audience. Guards emerged from the exits of the large sandpit to escort them out as Rotta and his denizens departed. Before leaving entirely, Ahsoka shouted, "Thank you, Stinky!"

* * *

"Ahsoka? Is it really you? I thought you were dead." The former Jedi Padawan appeared to Padmé as being around close to forty. She had a minimal amount of age lines, a fact that was pronounced by the sight of her akul tooth headdress. After all these years, it still remained the same.

Releasing her old acquaintance from the binders on her wrists, she answered affirmatively. "Yes, Senator Amidala. I suppose I must say the same for you. I even watched your funeral on the HoloNet. It was the first and last time I ever got drunk at a bar, actually."

Padmé, slightly flattered, tried to equate this older, more mature Ahsoka to the Ahsoka of her past. While the similarities were there, such as the friendly and outgoing personality, the determined, action-ready stance, and her lightsaber grip, there was a quality to her blue eyes that marked her status as an adult. They seemed to sparkle less than they used to, now with a heavier look, as if those past twenty years had taken a toll on her spirit.

Intrigued and almost a little afraid of what she might discover, Padmé held back her questions for now. But as Ahsoka continued to be a reality, and a welcome one at that, the question constantly nagging Padmé was: _where had she hidden, all these years? Does she know about Anakin? About Anakin and I?_

Once everyone had been properly freed of restraints, Ahsoka asked, "If it's okay with you guys, I would really like to find someplace to talk. Do you have anything in mind? I no longer have anywhere to live."

Giving her a quick once-over, Han nodded. "Yeah. Let's go back to my ship and you can talk all ya want then."

As they were about to leave, another group of guards approached them. Immediately, Han reached for his blaster in its familiar holster, yet found it to be empty. For a second, a tingle went up his back as he tried to figure out what to do.

"His Excellency Rotta the Hutt gives you these," one of the Trandoshan's grunted. He and his three companions were rolling along trolleys adorned with several boxes. The one that had spoken held out Han's blaster for him, the handle extended in a very docile manner. Leia and Padmé couldn't believe their eyes as Han tentatively accepted the offer.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Tell Rotta he has my sincerest thanks." Ahsoka took the trolleys and handed them to Luke, Han, and Chewbacca. The last she carried herself, prompting the four guards to leave. With Han and Chewbacca leading the way, the other four only followed, eager to hear everything.


	7. Old War Stories

No one spoke a word on the way up to the ship, or even once they had entered it. Han had ordered Threepio to help him store the ammunition in the _Falcon _in his usual impertinent manner, but not until the four humans and one Wookiee were seated around the lounge area was a word uttered.

"So I'm sure you're all seriously considering why I'm here. Or really, who I am at all," Ahsoka started.

They all agreed simultaneously.

"Well, maybe Senator Amidala can explain a little. I'd like to know why she's here as well, so if all of you would just take it slow for me. I'm not as young as I used to be," she laughed.

Padmé was trying to think back twenty-five years. Had it really been that long ago? The thought made her feel extraordinarily old. She had only been twenty-six back then, already half of her life locked in the space she had only rediscovered less than a month ago. She cleared her throat.

"Let's see. Where shall I start?"

"From the beginning. The _very _beginning," urged Ahsoka.

The very beginning. Of what exactly? The downfall of the Republic? The beginning of the Empire? If they wanted the beginning of that, Padmé would have to start far earlier than even her own birth. Washing her mind of the cynicism, she put things into perspective.

"I think the most prudent place to start would be... when I met Anakin Skywalker." At the mention of her late husband's name, numerous reactions, though somewhat imperceptible, occurred. Leia tensed, Luke leant forward in interest, and Ahsoka seemed to settle into her seat, as if she had been waiting to hear it.

"All of you know by now the events that took place during the beginning my reign as Queen of Naboo - the Trade Federation Blockade, the battle that ensued, and the uproar in the Senate over the inaction of then-Chancellor Valorum. What you probably haven't been told are the details. I was fourteen then and I still don't know whether I was ready or not to be in office. But Naboo has always and still is electing girls in their teens as rulers of the planet and the system.

"The Blockade eventually turned confrontational when a pair of Jedi, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, came to negotiate. When it was obvious that the Federation didn't have any negotiations in mind, they stowed away on a ship that landed on the planet. From there, they met Jar Jar Binks and eventually received passage from the Gungans to reach myself and my court in Theed."

Padmé continued recounting her tale while Ahsoka and Chewbacca, the only two who had any prior knowledge of this information, acknowledged her retelling with an occasional nod. Both Luke and Leia payed increasing attention to their mother's talking as they sensed her getting closer and closer to the story of Anakin Skywalker. When Padmé reached that point, she paused, smiling a little.

When she began again, she spoke directly to her children. "Your father was like no boy I had met before. Despite having nothing, he still found it in himself to help others. He was so different and good and... caring. He helped us by building and racing his own podracer - he won the race and his freedom. The only thing that made him look back was your grandmother, Shmi. His ability to care for people was one of his best and worst traits," Padmé said sadly.

"What do you mean?" Leia couldn't take it any more, her voice was shaking angrily. Hearing about this past, the way that things were fitting just so into her parents' past with each other, was near-sickening. She couldn't stand to hear Vader, the _thing _who had destroyed all that she had held dear, be praised in such a light.

Her mother understood, albeit hesitantly. Ahsoka, however, sensed something was off. Padmé spoke carefully, "After ten years of not seeing each other, Anakin came to Coruscant. I was a marked woman by the Separatist Alliance, and he was assigned my protector. We fell in love with each other, but then the Clone Wars began." Padmé stopped, staring at Ahsoka to continue.

"Right." Their group inched in closer to hear her speak.

"Back when there were a lot of Jedi, each of us had our own individual Master. He or she would train us from out midteens until we were deemed fit for knighthood. Anakin Skywalker was my Master, and I was his Padawan. By the time Master Yoda assigned me as Anakin's Padawan, the Clone Wars had already been going on for a while. We met on our first mission together which was during a battle.

"The first real mission though, was rescuing Jabba's son Rotta, the Hutt we just left. After a couple days where the Separatists had framed us for kidnapping Rotta from Jabba, we did manage to save the day. With Senator Amidala's help, of course. And that was what happened in the next year. We fought so many battles and I learned a lot about myself, being a Jedi, and the galaxy in general. Anakin, or "Skyguy" as I called him, had to train me during a war. I didn't turn out as disciplined as I could have were I trained in the Temple's environment, but he was a great teacher.

"Close to the war's end, I began to be entrusted with small-scale missions, all by myself. When the Clone Wars ended and Palpatine declared himself Emperor, I was stuck in the Outer Rim with my fellow Padawan dead along with the rest of the troopers who had been trying to kill us," Ahsoka stopped there, sorrow clouding her eyes at the memory of the day.

"It didn't take me very long to go into hiding. It wasn't an easy choice, and I evaded the authorities for a long time, but it was just about the only thing to do to survive. But I did try my best to keep up with the news. I knew that you were Anakin's son the minute locals uttered your name," she smiled, "but I can't believe I'm looking at you now. You look just like he did. Just shorter."

Han didn't even try to hide his snigger as Luke gave him an unsatisfied glare. So he wasn't the tallest guy around. At least he wasn't as short as Leia.

"Sorry," the Togrutan laughed, "but I was just...uh, anyway, I knew all along that you and Anakin had something going on. I never knew it was that serious!"

"Well, we did get married," Padmé told her. "You know how much Anakin bended the rules. So you never, ever found out what happened to us after the war ended?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "You've still got to tell me what went on there. I was out of the loop for the next year after that while trying to avoid the Imps. All I ever heard was that you died and the 'Hero With No Fear' had gone missing. He isn't...still alive?" She was the slightest bit hopeful to see her Master alive again. Before she had left on her last mission she hadn't gotten the chance to give him a proper goodbye. She had been regretting it for the past twenty-some years.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka."

Upon hearing her mother speak, Leia abruptly rose from her seat and left the room. She wouldn't hear any more of this praise for Vader. She didn't care how good of a person he may have been before the end of the war - that was nothing to atone for the millions of lives he had crushed, shattered, and enslaved during his reign as that frightening black monster Darh Vader.

None of their testimony had been enough proof to convince her that he was an innately good person or that he deserved forgiveness. Everything he did was of his own will and he knew what he was doing was wrong. If he was oh-so-great he should have known. Father or no, Leia was hard-put to find anything good in Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader.

After she stormed out of the room, Ahsoka asked, "Now might be a good time to fill me in on everything that's been happening while I've been gone."

Padmé nodded. This was not going to be easy at all.


End file.
